Like a Moth to a Flame
by BewilderedLoca
Summary: AU. Continuation to 'Down to Paris'. He'd never thought a simple week trip to Paris would keep him this interested on a certain local gypsy dancer. Rating may go up in future chapters.
1. Snake Bite

**BewilderedLoca**

**Disclaimer; I do not any of these characters, even though I adore this pairing crossover so much :] Thanks to Comidia del Arte for the plot really while I developed the rest and the then some after her suggestion. Takes place after 'Down in Paris', Enjoy :)**

**-x-x-x-**

It wasn't too long after her friends, who had come with her from the Court of Miracles, left to go back home and rest up for tomorrow, knowing it would be the same schedule as it was today and hopefully there would be just as much of a crowd as it was today. She took a deep breath and sat down on the cemented edge of the fountain as commoners walked by, most of them walking on their way back home.

She pulled out her small satchel and counted what much she got from her cut, trying to figure it out it if it would be enough for a good meal but instead found a card with a picture of a voodoo skull on the side of the margin, where it simply stated; '_Doctor Facilier. Tarot, Magic, Dreams made True._'

She blinked and lifted the card around to inspect and rotated it in different angles, trying to see out where and how it ultimately got in her satchel bag that was the size of a small coin purse. _Maybe it just fell in during the act, without me knowing_, she thought as she considered it being that and tossed the card to the side, deciding it wasn't really relevant or important to her life as of now.

She got up and walked over to purchase an apple but felt a arm yank her away and turn her around; only to reveal that it was two guards that were most likely bored and had nothing else better to do but pick on innocent bystanders and harass them.

"Where's a gypsy girl like you get all this money?" one of them guards asked as the other one grabbed her and restrained her arms while the first counted the change before pocketing it all for himself.

Esmeralda growled as she struggled, "That's mine! I worked for that money!" she protested.

"Mhmm and my mothers the Queen of England." The guard joked, elbowing his friend to join in their rambunctious course of laughter.

"Awfully rude, holding a woman like she's a sack of meat," the thin man she recognized from earlier, standing there behind him as the guard immediately went defensive. The thin man shook his head and tsk'ed the guardsmen. "Ain't ya'll mothers teach you any better?"

"Hey, who are you to talk to me about my mother," the guard growled and lunged at him while the man stepped o the side, causing him to fall right in the water barrel. "Smith! I'm stuck! Help me out!" he grunted as Smith released his hold on Esmeralda to go help his friend.

"Hold on, James!" Smith instructed as he pulled causing the barrel to tilt over and roll down the street "Just you wait until Frollo hears and finds about you! Helping a gypsy here is against the law!" Smith yelled as he chased after his friend down the street.

Esmeralda stood there and watched the scene take place before her, oblivious to the man picking up the satchel and holding it up to her, "This is yours, is it not?" he asked while she looked over and nodded. She remembered him now, he was the only one in that crowd that had the longest limb and thinnest body she ever saw-- compared to Clopin but wasn't as tall as this fellow.

He had high cheekbones, dark circles around his eyes which were violet. He wore a violet tailcoat, an ill-fitted purple vest that displayed a short amount of his abdomen and slacks.

"Yes…Thank you." She said hesitantly as she pulled her satchel back from as the man who closely resembled a living skeleton.

"Excuse me, where are my manners," he took his hat off and bowed, "The name's Facilier. Dr. Facilier." He grinned as he stood up and slipped a card from his sleeve and handed it over to her. She blinked and accepted the familiar card and quickly noticed it was the same one she had earlier. "I'm sure we'll cross paths again." He said gently to her as he took her hand and gently kissed it before departing into the afternoon crowd.

She hesitantly looked down at the card in her hand and sighed, "I have to start going home early."

**- x - x - x –**

**Ok so this is first official chapter, I knew it's short but the rest is longer and will be longer, muchos longer :0 Please review.**


	2. Never as Good as the First time

**BewilderedLoca**

**Disclaimer; I do not own any of these characters and sorry for the late update xxxPiratePrincessxxx. Guess this chapters goes to you literally now xD**

**-x-x-x-**

It was a warm day out in the city of Paris, wasn't too hot or too cold and it was almost the perfect weather to be outside, strolling for a walk or shopping in the small crowded market place, where the baked goods were made, hand-made crafts were commissioned and sold off at a commissionable price. He sat on a wooden crate, making with do and improvising with what he could around here and in these parts. As time went on and the town became abit more active and lively, he dug in his inner jacket pocket and pulled out a deck of cards.

Casually shuffling them as her scoped around for the crowd and tried to find a variations of people that seemed naïve, easy to scam until a womanly figure, he found familiar, walked over to him while he grinned, "What are you doing here?" she asked and he flipped his cards casually.

"Making business," he said as she arched a thick brow at him.

"Well make business elsewhere." she told him, hoping he'd move but he stayed put. "Why aren't you moving?"

"I'm comfortable where I am." He explained to her while she inhaled and took a deep breath.

"Couldn't you just move somewhere else? You saw me working here, just yesterday." She said and leaned over on the table, hoping he'd get the hint that she wanted to him to leave but he still wouldn't budge.

"Seriously, if this is a game, this isn't funny." She narrowed her brows at him as he kept a neutral face and shuffled through his cards.

"You wouldn't have made much today…" he told her as she blinked, "How would you know if I would or not?"

"I pre-read your tarot reading today," he said as he added, "—As well as mines, so I'm just sitting here really to enjoy the view."

"Why would you make a reading about me without my permission?" she asked while he shrugged. "Well, if it won't be that much I still have to try. So would you be as so kind as to move?"

He took a deep breath and stood occupied on his seat there. "Sir, would you please move?" she asked again, raising her tone abit more louder this time, "Sir—"

"No." he told her flatly and she scoffed.

"Are you serious?" she asked, shocked while he brushed off his shoulder and picked up the very bits of lint off his tailcoat jacket, "This was and is our spot. Who do you think you are, coming out of nowhere taking it?"

"Surely you've heard sharing is caring." He said with a small smirk.

"Well I'm also sure you heard of Finder's Keepers." She snapped as he chuckled.

"Well what about curiosity killing the cat?" he joked. "You're changing the subject here."

"Thought we were talking about old saying, darling." He told her as she groaned and moved to his side.

"Fine, if you want your things, I'll move it for you." She grunted as she lifted his things and carried it to the other side of the street while Facilier watched with amusement and shuffled his deck. He then began to idly do another self reading; something aroused his interest once he flipped the 'future' card. "Interesting…"

Once she was sure, that she was finished, she almost stomped her way back over, "There." She said as she pointed at his new spot on the corner across the street. "There's your new spot, Go sit over there now."

"I'm quite fine here." He slyly told her as he grabbed her hand and kissed her knuckles, "You got soft gentle hands, darling."

She gagged and pulled her hand back in disgust, wiping it on her skirt, "Well I'm not and I'm not your darling."

"Alright babycakes."

"I'm not that either," she glared.

"Okay sugar lips." He grinned.

"You're annoying me now."

"Getting angry will only make you look old, sweet pea." He smirked when her think raven brows narrowed more. Esmeralda growled and snatched the deck of cards out of his hands.

"Get off my turf, this is where I go to make business and money." She said as she leaned over the small wooden table and poked him in the chest.

"So you've been around on this block?" he remarked as she snarled and visibly gritted her teeth.

"You're infuriating!" she yelled as she threw her arms in the air, catching a short quick attention span.

"…on second thought, you're more lovelier angry." He teased as she scoffed, rolled her eyes, sat down on a empty crate and leaned against the stone wall. She crossed her arms and huffed. "Sitting there moping won't get you this spot faster, sweetheart."

"Be quiet, I'm trying to ignore you." She childishly huffed and he shook his head before getting up, hitting his sale pitch aloud and actually attracting a customer. It was the baker, running for a quick errand on the boulevard and was shown walking down the street.

"Now of you don't mind me, dear. I have work to do." He told her smugly while she scoffed as she fell back on his crate when he slid his foot under her, "Hey!"

Once the backer was lured and came closer, Facilier immediately called out for him, "What's a handsome stud like you doing walking here all alone?" he asked the baker as he stopped walking and casted a glance over.

"Oh, I'm walking to work, good sir." The baker answered.

"Ah…so how's the business?"

"It's going well…I should be going," he rushed and Facilier pulled him back.

"I wouldn't go up there now, monsieur. Something be telling me something bad cookin'," Facilier said, looking aside idly.

"Really? What'll happen?" the benevolent baker asked, suddenly interested and hooked.

"Not sure…my services aren't all that free." Facilier said listlessly while he fixed the cuff to his jacket.

"But I don't have enough for a reading," the baker informed him as he frowned. "I spent it on more supplies, I only have a few more change left and this loaf of bread I made breakfast today…will this help?" he pleaded as he showed what he had left to the fortune teller before him.

Facilier looked at the man's offering and sighed, knowing this would be as close he could get. "Alright it'll do." He dreaded to say, was expecting more financial opportunities here in Paris but it was just the same as New Orleans. At least he had something to eat for the night.

"Hand me your palm." He instructed as the baker did just so and he traced the lines over his palm with his index finger. "Ah..I see what it is now. Your wife is frustrated. Haven't been bringing in as much money you should've, and if you don't bring it by the end of today…she'll be more then opted to leave you."

The baker gasped and Esmeralda; who had been watching had been staring agape. "He's lying—" she protested before Facilier covered her mouth and chuckled. "Excuse her, she hasn't had the brightest of all mornings and if I'm not mistaken, shouldn't you be hopping along to your shop? Would hate to see a lovely couple break up over ill-fated cause."

"I will sir, thank you so much for the fair warning!" the baker shook his hand, almost dislocating his right shoulder before running off to the direction where his business was situated. Facilier chuckled and pulled his hand away from Esmeralda before she had the chance to bite it. "Ooh..I like 'em feisty." He smirked as she snarled again at him for using those doting affection names as if they meant something.

"That's not ladylike, sweet pea." He mocked again, looping a messy curl around his finger as she swatted him away, "You ripped the baker off. You should be ashamed, an honest man who didn't need that false telling."

"No I didn't. Told him the honest truth." He told her as he pocketed the change he had gotten not so long ago.

"No you didn't." she argued.

"Y'know…we can fight like cats and dogs about this or we can just ignore what you saw and transpired..and just move on with our lives." He cooed as he took a piece of the bread and bit into it.

"Or you can tell him the honest truth." She challenged.

"What makes you think I'll chase after him now and tell him? He's not worth all that extra work." He conceded.

"You're disgusting." She seethed as he chuckled, "And I'm not leaving this spot until you do."

"Then we're going to be here for awhile."

"I'm afraid so." she sighed and crossed her arms.

"Awhile does seem like a long time. Want me to read your palm, darling?" he offered and she scoffed, looking the other way.

"I can have Olgá read mines if I didn't want to read my OWN palm." She jeered.

"But what's the fun of having someone you already know, know exactly what to tell you?" he asked as he swiveled behind her and overshadowed her right shoulder.

"Wouldn't be as much but I know they'll tell an _honest_ reading." She retorted, closing her eyes for an instant.

"Then I won't charge you. Challenge me love. I'll be sure to make it your worthwhile…" he cooed into her ear and she shuddered. "C'mon…free of charge. Give me a challenge." He dared as she sighed and gave him her palm. It would keep her entertained for the most part until he got bored and decided to leave, hopefully at some point soon.

He pulled her hand close, pulled it close and traced over the lines with his long wispy spiderlike fingers, "Your hand shape suggests that you have a spontaneous, enthusiastic free spirit which can tend to let you make impulsive and indecisive decisions." He told her as he read along, "Am I being accurate so far, love?" he looked up, grinning while she tucked her hair behind her ear.

"…Go on." She asked him to continue as he did so.

"Very well." He said to her and focused on the other concaved line on her hand, "Your fate line here says that you're a self made individual and you've set yourself up with some aspirations. So did you live up to any of them yet?" he asked whilst she pointed her attention back at her palm, "Finish this first and maybe I'll tell."

He made a deep sigh, "Just trying to strike up a conversation here but fine be impatient." He retorted and traced the next line, "Your life line curves and swerves so just means you're full of energy …and your heart line here, tells me that you get infatuated easily so this is a lucky sign for any fellows that you had your eye on or had their eye on you." he winked while she rolled her eyes and pulled her hand back.

"Think I'm done now," She clipped as she began to walk off. "Thanks for wasting my time."

His eyes narrowed and he pulled her back, "Said I wasn't finished."

She whipped around and groaned, "I never heard you say that."

"Not when you're walkin' off half way. Only had one more, could at least give me some form of modesty." He retorted while she scowled and snatched her hand back.

"Fine. Last line and I'm leaving." She settled. "You can have this spot today for all I care."

"You're being too generous dear," he spared a compliment before holding his hand out and waited for her to place hers back on his again. She did so and crossed her other arm around her waist, impatiently waiting. "Now your head line says and shows that you're curious and show an adventurous side…there I'm finished." he asked as he smirked, "So, are you satisfied?"

"It doesn't mean you're entirely right." She quipped but not openly admitting that half if not, most he said was true.

"But it's not what _Olgá _told you or wasn't what you read on your own." he said as he picked up his cane.

She eyed him, "Is that all?" she countered as she pulled her hand back.

"You haven't answered my question," He reminded her. "Did you ever get the chance to leave this place and travel around elsewhere?"

"No, Facilier." she answered briefly, shocked she even remembered his name.

"Would you like to with me, sweetheart?" he teased with an all-knowing grin as she narrowed her eyes and scrunched her nose at the affectionate name-calling again.

"I'm not your sweetheart!" she argued as Facilier fixed and dusted his jacket.

"I love seeing you mad, Esmé." He chuckled while she blinked in momentary shock before recovering the fact he knew her name, without telling or discussing about it to him.

But she quickly came up with her rebuttal; "Good. You'll be seeing a lot more of it this week. I'll be sure of it!" she called out to him.

As he turned around and began to walk off laughing, "I wouldn't have it any other way. Until next time, love." He bid her farewell, knowing she glared daggers at him.

**-x-x-x-**

OK. So that's it for now, hopefully I can weekly update this but if I can't somehow please forgive me.

**Next chapter; Facilier and Esmeralda bond abit and then encounters Frollo.**


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